Students as co-researchers – Beyond technology

The following activity was part of a 3-day science activity. Preceding this were learning activities to do with sustainable energy production. This time the children were given data loggers (sensors) that measured temperature, light (different kinds), CO2 or voltage. The children hd to use apps to extract the information and log it on their phones or computers. The task was to investigate how to use these school owned data loggers. The children were asked to find out what the software could do and set up an investigation on sustainable energy.

One group tried to investigate the influence of temperature on conductivity of different materials to reduce the loss of energy due to heating.
Another group tried to investigate how much CO₂ is absorbed through photosynthesis.
A third group measured the velocity of wind and change of wind speed over time.

Given that they had freedom to explore the sensors and what the software could show them, the children were motivated and curious to explore things and ask their own questions. They felt competent to try things out, evaluate ideas and practice communicating the things they experienced and observed. The technology they were given forced them to think about what other technology they may require to set up a working experiment. Lots of trial and error and excitement!

Student measure how conductivity is influenced by temperature.

Students analyzing data from an investigation on carbondioxide.

Following this year’s activities, the Danish class at Sofiendalskole discussed and summarised some of the good and bad things about smartphones. Here are their thoughts:

How we live in a world of smartphones
• People can become addicted to checking their phone.
• Phones can be a problem if you have poor self-control.
• Phones can disrupt your sleep at night.
• One can get bored without one’s phone.
• Smartphones are good to have on long journeys and can provide you with entertainment.
• It is important to be able to receive calls and call if you are injured or sick.
• Younger children should have ‘light’ phones with fewer functionalities.
• For younger children, it might be good if parents lock parts of the smartphone functionalities.
• When you buy a phone, you should consider what functionalities are actually needed.
• The feature called “phone” is not used very much.
• Maybe it is necessary to propose how old you have to be before you get a proper smartphone, perhaps when the child is old enough to use social media – e.g. 13 years for Facebook and 16 for using Snap chat. However, there are probably not many people who in reality would comply with such a rule.
• Parents should teach their children that phones are a tool that can be used for special and important things, including SMS and calls. It is not necessary to learn how to download apps and search on the Internet.
• It may be necessary to supervise younger children when they use apps.
• Parents must determine when a child is ready to get a smartphone and have a talk with their kids about the use of the smartphone.
• How to use a smartphone can be a part of necessary parenting skills.

What we should consider in using smartphones at school
• When you receive messages on your smartphone at school it can interrupt your attention for a considerable amount of time.
• It is a bad idea to take phones away from students because students will think of their phones throughout the day, and make them less concentrated. Students can also forget their phones after school.
• When school tasks are digital, they can be solved anywhere and anytime with a smartphone.
• Smartphones have many useful features such as calculator and camera. There can also be downloaded several apps that are used in teaching.
• It can take pictures of smartboards or tables if you do not have time to write notes.
• Smartphones can be like a Swiss army knife.
• Smartphones contain several sensors that can provide interesting data for learning.
• It would be a good idea to have a group of students –super users of smartphones- who could teach teachers how smartphones could be used for their teaching.